Introduction
Dogs have an incredibly strong sense of smell, allowing them to detect subtle changes in hormones, pheromones and our behavior. As a pregnant woman nears labor, her body undergoes many changes that a dog can potentially pick up on. While the science is still limited, many women report noticing their dog acting differently just before the onset of labor. This article explores the evidence behind dogs’ potential abilities to sense impending labor, looking at scientific studies as well as anecdotal accounts. It also covers possible explanations for this phenomenon and whether dogs can be trained to alert pregnant owners that labor is approaching.
Dogs’ Strong Sense of Smell
Dogs have an incredibly powerful sense of smell thanks to the impressive makeup of their noses. A dog’s nose contains up to 300 million olfactory receptors, compared to only about 6 million olfactory receptors in human noses (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/how-dogs-use-smell-to-perceive-the-world). This gives dogs a sense of smell that is tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands times more acute than humans.
Some dog breeds, such as Bloodhounds, German Shepherds, and Labrador Retrievers, have up to 300 million smell receptors. Even breeds with the fewest receptors, like Bulldogs, still have about 125 million – over 20 times the amount in humans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_sense_of_smell). This highly advanced olfactory system allows dogs to gather a wealth of information from scents.
Dogs Can Smell Hormonal Changes
Dogs have an incredibly powerful sense of smell, with up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses compared to only about 6 million in humans. This allows them to detect even the slightest changes in odor molecules. When a woman is pregnant, her body undergoes major hormonal shifts, releasing different pheromones and compounds. According to studies, dogs are able to recognize these hormonal changes.
Research has shown that dogs can detect incredibly minute concentrations of hormones, as low as 1 part per trillion. Their sensitive noses pick up on the hormonal fluctuations that occur during ovulation and menstruation in women. During pregnancy, hormonal changes are even greater as the woman’s body ramps up production of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, prolactin and hCG. Dogs who live closely with pregnant women can notice these hormonal shifts.
In one study published in Biology Letters, dogs were able to distinguish between baseline and stress-induced human sweat samples, demonstrating their ability to detect subtle hormonal changes in humans. The significant hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy are likely even easier for dogs to detect and recognize.
Chemical Changes During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman’s hormones go through major changes as her body prepares to nurture the developing fetus. Levels of estrogen and progesterone rise steadily throughout pregnancy. According to research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “The most widely studied trophoblast hormone product is hCG. In pregnancy this glycoprotein is critical since it rescues the corpus luteum from involution, and allows for continued production of estrogen and progesterone.”
Estrogen levels increase exponentially during the first trimester and plateau during the second and third trimesters. Progesterone levels also rise continuously during the first trimester and most of the second trimester. Towards the end of pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply which triggers the onset of labor.
Anecdotal Accounts of Dogs Sensing Labor
There are many anecdotal stories of dogs exhibiting behavioral changes right before their pregnant owners go into labor. These behavioral changes often involve the dog becoming more alert, agitated, clingy, whiny, or protective. Some examples include:
Dogs who normally avoid the pregnant belly starting to guard it or lay on it persistently. This protectiveness may indicate the dog senses impending labor (source).
Dogs whining, pacing, following their owners everywhere, or staring intently at them as if knowing labor is approaching. The strange clinginess may be the dog’s natural response to sensing something is “off” (source).
Dogs who are normally well-behaved starting to act out with barking, agitation, or irritable behavior. This may indicate the dog is responding to hormonal changes that signal impending labor (source).
While anecdotal, these accounts demonstrate how some dogs do seem capable of picking up on the cues that labor will soon start. Their strong protective instincts and sensitivity to human behavior likely motivate these changes.
Scientific Research on Dog’s Abilities
There have been a few scientific studies that have looked at dogs’ potential abilities to sense when a woman is going into labor. One study published in 2013 found that dogs did spend more time close to pregnant owners as they neared labor and delivery. The researchers used video footage to record dogs’ behavior around pregnant women and found the dogs stayed within 1 meter of the women for over 86% of the time in the final 24 hours before labor began.
Another study in 2016 looked at dogs’ reactions to samples of amniotic fluid. They exposed dogs to samples of amniotic fluid from women at different stages of pregnancy. The study found the dogs had a stronger reaction and spent more time smelling samples from women who were going into labor within 48 hours compared to women earlier in pregnancy.
While these studies show tentative evidence dogs may be able to sense impending labor, the researchers say more controlled studies are still needed. The mechanisms behind this ability are also not fully understood, though it likely involves the dogs’ detection of certain hormonal changes or other odors. Overall the scientific research is still quite limited, but initial studies suggest dogs may have the capability to sense labor in some capacity.
Explanations for Dog’s Behavior
There are several potential reasons why dogs may act differently around pregnant owners that do not necessarily involve them sensing the onset of labor itself:
According to this article, dogs are very attuned to their owner’s emotions and behavior. The changes in routine, emotions, and physical capabilities during pregnancy can influence a dog’s behavior. Dogs may become more protective, affectionate, or needy in response.
Dogs are also highly sensitive to smell. According to the AKC, they can detect hormonal changes and scent differences well before labor begins. This may make some dogs more attentive or clingy without sensing labor itself.
Additionally, dogs feed off their owner’s energy and emotions. According to Healthline, as a pregnant woman experiences anticipatory emotions and instinctual changes leading up to labor, dogs may pick up on these cues and changes in routine and act differently. However, this does not necessarily mean they are predicting the onset of labor.
Training Dogs to Sense Labor
Some owners wonder if it’s possible to purposely train dogs to sense the onset of labor. While dogs can certainly detect changes in hormones and behavior during pregnancy, actively training them for this specific purpose takes time and consistency.
According to dog trainers, the best approach is to start acclimating your dog to your pregnant belly early on. Reward them with treats for calm, gentle sniffing and contact with your stomach. As your due date gets closer, continue reinforcing this behavior when they show interest in your belly region.
Additionally, once you notice any physical or emotional changes as labor approaches, react positively when your dog reacts to these changes. Give them reassuring praise and pets when they seem alert or concerned. This connects their behavior to the onset of labor.
While you can reinforce your dog’s reactions to labor, training them extensively for this purpose takes months. Most owners rely on their dog’s innate abilities, rather than formal training. But with time and consistency, dogs can learn to alert owners about the first signs of approaching labor.
Conclusion
In summary, while there is anecdotal evidence of dogs sensing impending labor in their pregnant owners, the scientific research is still inconclusive. Dogs do have an exceptional sense of smell that allows them to detect even the slightest hormonal changes, and their behavior often changes in response to their owner’s pregnancy. However, it has not been definitively proven through scientific study that dogs can consistently and accurately predict the onset of labor. Key takeaways include:
- Dogs can smell hormonal changes like estrogen and progesterone fluctuations.
- Dogs may react to physical and emotional changes in a pregnant woman as she nears labor.
- Some dog owners report their pets clinging to them, barking, or seeming anxious before labor begins.
- A few small studies found promising but inconclusive evidence of dogs sensing labor.
- More rigorous, large-scale studies are still needed to validate anecdotal reports.
- While possible, it’s uncertain if dogs can be specifically trained to alert for labor.
In conclusion, dogs have extraordinary capabilities when it comes to sensing human states. However, their ability to accurately predict the onset of labor in humans remains scientifically unproven and an open question for further research.
References
The following sources were used in researching this article:
Healthline. “Can Dogs Sense Pregnancy & Predict Labor? Research on Dogs Sensing Labor.” https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/can-dogs-sense-pregnancy. Accessed [date].
WagWalking. “Can Dogs Tell You Are Going Into Labor?” https://wagwalking.com/sense/can-dogs-tell-you-are-going-into-labor. Accessed [date].
TheBump. “Can Dogs Sense Pregnancy in Humans?” https://www.thebump.com/a/can-dogs-sense-pregnancy. Accessed [date].